Yet although it presents a major health threat to Americans, studies of this disease have lagged behind that of other cancers. As a result, scientists know far less about what sparks bladder cancer, how it develops, and how best to treat it than they do other cancers.

The MD Anderson Bladder Cancer SPORE (also called the Genitourinary SPORE) aims to fill this important gap in knowledge with multidisciplinary research into the prevention, detection and treatment of bladder cancer. Ultimately, we want to eliminate this disease.

What Is SPORE?

SPORE stands for Specialized Program of Research Excellence. Funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) with a five-year, $13.9 million grant, the program is part of a nation-wide initiative designed to speed the flow of promising knowledge from the laboratory to the clinic, where it can help patients the most. The ultimate goal of this NCI initiative is to reduce cancer incidence and mortality and to improve the quality of life for cancer patients.

SPORE funding is given to institutions with expertise in cancer research and a track record of turning promising laboratory findings into advances in patient treatment or care. The MD Anderson Bladder Cancer SPORE includes a career development program that trains physician-scientists to formulate research plans with clinically testable hypotheses, a developmental research program designed to support pilot projects in bladder cancer research and five core research projects which build upon multidisciplinary studies that are already underway.

The results of this research are expected to rapidly increase the understanding of how bladder cancer develops at the molecular and cellular level, and to push forward the development of new therapies and early detection methods. We want to solve the dilemmas facing patients with all forms of bladder cancer and other related diseases.